UPDATE, 2:25 AM PT: Last year’s dueling Yves Saint Laurent biopics each picked up several nominations this morning for France’s César Awards. Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent, the country’s entry for the Foreign Language Oscar, leads the pack with 10 mentions, followed by Thomas Cailley’s Directors’ Fortnight title Les Combattants with nine, and Oscar nominee Timbuktu with eight. Yves Saint Laurent, from helmer Jalil Lespert, took seven nods. Otherwise, there are a number of usual suspects in the batch including Best Actress Oscar nominee Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night, as well as Juliette Binoche for Olivier Assayas’ Sils Maria. In something of a departure — and a first — for the French Académie, they nominated American actress Kristen Stewart for her supporting turn in that Cannes competition entry. (Adrien Brody won the Best Actor prize in 2003 for The Pianist.) There are also six nominations for late 2014 release La Famille Bélier. The Eric Lartigau-directed feelgood picture about an aspiring singer whose parents are deaf, has been a box office smash with nearly five million tickets sold. In the Foreign Film category are Oscar nominees, Boyhood, Ida and The Grand Budapest Hotel, along with last year’s Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave, and Cannes pics Two Days, One Night and Mommy. See below the original post for all the nominees.

PREVIOUS, 1 AM PT: Nominations for France’s César Awards, the local equivalent to the Oscar, are being announced this morning in Paris. It was a good year for local films in 2014, however there are no clear frontrunners today as many of the titles that scored were broad comedies — the sort the Académie doesn’t always embrace. Among the films being talked about are Bertrand Bonello’s Saint Laurent which was France’s entry for the Foreign Language Oscar, as well as feelgood family drama La Famille Bélier and Cannes Directors Fortnight winner Les Combattants from Thomas Cailley. An Oscar nominee from Mauritania, Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu may also figure as it was backed by France. Luc Besson’s Lucy was the biggest export of the year and could score some nominations here, although the filmmaker has only ever won one César — as director for The Fifth Element in 1998. There will be an homage to late director Alain Renais and Sean Penn is receiving an honorary César. The ceremony will take place on February 20 in Paris. Nominees will be updated below as they are announced.

12 Comments

• on Jan 28, 2015 7:37 am

Based on your comment, is it accurate to say that Kristen Stewart the first American to ever be nominated for a Cesar? She is totally amazing as Valentine in Sils Maria and would be deserving as the Best Supporting Actress. She was voted by the Cannes Festival critics for Best Supporting Performance (inclusive of both female and male or actors).

R • on Jan 28, 2015 9:28 am

Not the first ever, but it’s very rare. Looks like she is only the second American actress overall to be nominated, and the first ever in the Supporting Actress category. Adrian Brody was nominated and won. If she wins, she will be the first ever winner of the Best Supporting Actress to win for a foreign language role.

Arlo • on Jan 28, 2015 12:42 pm

Julia Migenes was the first nominated actress.

Seneca • on Jan 28, 2015 7:29 pm

The reason it’s rare is because almost no American actresses ever get cast in French films. So it’s not that she’s so special, it’s that she lucked into the part because Mia Wasikowska dropped out. She called in a favor from her On The Road producer to get the role, and Chanel helped out by partially funding the film (she reps Chanel, and their clothes were also used in the film).

It also illustrates how she had to turn to foreign films, since Universal dumped her from her own sequel, SWATH2. Her public cheating scandal with Rupert Sanders put two franchises in jeopardy, so the studios are not about to cast her in any big budget Hollywood films after she showed how unprofessional and irresponsible she is.

K • on Jan 28, 2015 10:49 pm

Oh shut up

angie • on Jan 29, 2015 6:43 am

you in here too please grow up and get a life I bet most pattinson fans are ashamed of your behaviour you are copying this same thing on all the others articles about kristen you need help

@Seneca • on Jan 29, 2015 7:30 am

Sweetie, you made this exact comment on Indiewire’s article. Your agenda is showing. I won’t be like you and copy/paste my entire response which debunked your lame assertions. I am not pathetic like you are, troll.

Dela • on Jan 29, 2015 3:39 am

Stewart is a very talented young actor and her private life should not ever enter into whether she is nominated. There are many more in Hollywood who have nasty pasts. Hollywood is a cess pool for bad behavior. Funny how that old man director got a free pass. I guess it’s a guy thing. Yet here we are years later still dishing up her past mistake. Let’s look at her ex lover boy RPutz . What’s he been up to lately? Trashy life style for him the so called golden boy. His career is over. Never that great to begin with anyhow. I am glad she has been nominated she has what it takes……talent and looks. Congrats to her.

Lily • on Jan 29, 2015 8:59 am

Nice to see ROBERT Pattinson Fans still pressed and jealous with Kristen’s career! Even his new girlfriend cannot be important like Kristen is in their life! STAY PRESSED FOREVER PATTINSON FANS! This is very hard for them, you know when your idol is a big Flop with The Rover. Losers!

Guest • on Jan 29, 2015 9:03 am

It’s 2015 but ROBERT Pattinson Fans still comment every article about Kristen Stewart. What a pathetic fandom Pattinson… Not surprise his movies are always a Flop.

rocknmovie • on Feb 9, 2015 3:01 am

Exactly like Kristen Stewart fans comment every Robert Pattinson article…

SpreadingDignity • on Feb 2, 2015 7:10 pm

Seneca ?intentionally? got her/his facts wrong, so hoping you’ll make good on your monitoring policy as stated. The Sils director tells Stewart she was always first choice for the role of Valentine over Mia at the 5 & a half-minute mark of the YouTube vid titled “NYFF 2014 Press Conference with Cast of Clouds of Sils Maria Part 2”. (Ensure that you’re viewing part two rather than one.) Tired of people who seem to have made it their second job to spread bad info about this actress and try to sway readers’ opinions of her. May not bother her, but it bothers me… Tks for your attention.